>> i'm telling you, never work with animals or fish. it is all fun and games until you have to pry a large-mouthed bass off gary tuchman's neck. this anchor was a pro. no harm done. i just want to point out that cnbc still has a long way to go if it really wants to make history in the financial news blooper department. >> at no point were you running a gym? >> no, no. running a gym? to work out or something? jesus [ bleep ] christ. i come on the news for two seconds and you want to -- every time i do an interview, i guy wants to open his [ bleep ] mouth. can't you [ bleep ] a routine here.

today's a soldier was killed in kandahar after i visited the base. it is a sad reminder of how unsafe this country remains after 11 years of war. i will ask the secretary what happened next as american troops prepare it leave afghanistan and about the fight for al qaeda, let's gooutfront. good evening, i'm erin burnett live in afghanistan for a special edition of of "outfront." i want to welcome our viewers from around the world. thanks for joining us.

a sobering reminder of how america's war is still not won. we still do not have a secure afghanistan. today, just hours after i wrapped up an interview with the secretary of defense leon panetta in kandahar at an american base, there was a a brazen attack just outside the bias. the suicide bomber struck, the taliban took responsibility. an american soldier has within killed. two afghan soldiers were killed. americans and afghans were wounded in this attack today. a taliban spokesman not only claimed responsibility for the attack but praised the quote unquote brave taliban fighter who carried it out. also, here in kabul, secretary panetta met with karzai and invited him it meet with president obama next month. the key question for the leaders is where do things now stand and what's next? 11 years, two months and six days. >> we will not tire, we will not

faulter, and we will not fail. >> peace and freedom will prevail. >> just one month after 9/11 wbt war against the taliban and al qaeda and afghanistan, it has been steep, more than 2,000 americans dead and more than 18,000 wounded. 642 billion u.s. dollars spent. and an untold number of afghan civilians killed. at least 12,000 in the last five years. with that sacrifice, came some progress. the taliban was removed from power and -- >> i can report to the american people and to the world, that united states has conducted an operation that killed osama bin laden, the later of al qaeda. >> as combat troops prepare it come home in 2014, the taliban is resurging. just this week, a member of the navy's elite s.e.a.l. team 6, the same group who died trying

to save a doctor abducted by the taliban. afghan troops aren't ready to fight them. deversion rates are high and the unite he nation reports policemen are joining the taliban. extremist in the afghan security forces have killed 33 americans this year. and afghan civilians fear the future. >> translator: i don't a hundred percent believe there are national armies capable. everyday we hear our soldiers are killed in the insecure provinces. >> 11 years, 6 months and 2 days. when will this mission be accomplished? the issue of readiness on the part of afghan security forces to take over the fight against al qaeda and terrorist in this country is the central issue to determine if america stays and how many american troops will continue to serve in this country. there was a new pentagon report out this week, important it came from the pentagon. they are trying to tell a story of improvement here, but

pentagon report itself said that only one under 23 afghan brigade says actually ready to take over security in this country and in an army where 85% of recruits are ill literal. the challenges can be overwhelming. i spoke specifically no leon panetta today in kandahar and asked him about this daunting challenge. >> obviously there is a, you know, a literacy problem with regards to forces and you know, we continue it try to prepare them for the ability to take over all of this security responsibilities. i guess, you know, the good news is that as a result of the training effort, they are dealing with illiteracy and providing quick classes for these individuals that go into

the army, so they are meeting that responsibility. they are developing the kind of training and capability that they need. but this is an area we're just going to have to focus on intensely. because over the next two years, and particularly in 2013, we have to reach a stage where a hundred percent of the operations are in the hands of the afghan army. that's going to take a lot more work. >> so is that why there's been a bit of a delay? i was looking at headlines a few weeks ago and said we would have a troop count decision in a few weeks. the headlines a couple days ago were that we would have a troupe decision in a few weeks. what is causing that delay? are you not sure of that number? where is the delay? >> no, i think, you know, i think first and foremost, that general alan having developed a campaign plan for afghanistan is the one that has to come forward with the recommendations as to what enduring presence will look like an he is prepared several options. we have reviewed them. and then ultimately they have to be presented to the national

security council which reviews them and then present it to the president for final decision. that takes time and we want to make sure, obviously, that we make the right decision with the slice of that enduring presence. >> there are people who worry that u.s. will have too few people to provide security that's required. someone said that number is 20,000. anything fewer than that is not enough. is that fair? >> you know, it depends on the missions that we've got to be able to work on in that enduring presence. and the key missions are the following. one is counterterrorism which means it continue to confront al qaeda. and those that you know, have always continued to plan attacks on the united states. we just want to make sure that there is no al qaeda threat here in afghanistan. secondly, to dot training and assistance that is necessary for the afghan army and thirdly, to provide some of the enabling capability for the forces that

are here. that will determine the nature of the presence. but the bottom line is that, if we're going to accomplish the mission, the main responsibility has to rest with the afghan army. >> so you're not yet sure on the number? it is not like you're just waiting for an outset, you're not sure on the number. >> we are working intently right now to try to determine what that will be. >> it is interesting when you say a lot has to do with the mission. i will quote the president with be to defeat, disrupt and destroy al qaeda. >> right. >> is that mission accomplished? >> the mission of defeating and deterring al qaeda, i think, is well on the way towards, you know, achieving the mission with regards to afghanistan. and the threat that we face here. we continue to face al qaeda obviously elsewhere. not only in pakistan, but yemen and somalia and elsewhere.

but we have had remarkable success going after special operations against al qaeda here and we're continuing to do that. i think that, you know, the main challenge here is obviously to make sure there's no safe haven for al qaeda in which to conduct attacks but the key it that is an afghanistan that can secure and govern itself. those two are inner locked in terms of mission thatted with in afghanistan. >> what if they choose a taliban. you know, i'm very confident that the afghan people want to be sovereign. they want to be independent. they want to be free from the taliban. but they want to be able to determine their future. and that's okay. that's what needs to be done here. just to have an afghanistan that

can determine. >> when you talk about defeating al qaeda, just thinking about some of the statistic here, there is still insurgency, 93 policemen in one day joined the taliban. do you think al qaeda will be defeated, even here? >> i think you can reach a point where you so significantly weaken al qaeda that, you know, although there may still be a few people around, they won't be able to conduct the operations that they've conducted in the past and they certainly won't be able to plan the kind of attacks that america had happen to it on 9/11. and that's our goal, is to make sure that doesn't happen again. >> when you talk about al qaeda and where it is, now widely seen as a safe haven for al qaeda and linked to, inspired by, whatever the words might be, does the united states have to intervene in mally? >> we've got to go after al qaeda wherever the hell they're at and make sure they have no place it hide. let's not forget, the main goal of al qaeda is to attack the united states. and we aren't going to allow that to happen again.

if we aren't going to allow it to happen, we've got to go after them in somalia and yes in yemen. >> as you assess threats to the homeland, how big of a threat is al qaeda? >> i think we have significantly weakened their ability to do the kind of command and control. and planning that would be necessary to conduct another 9/11 attack. at the same time, they still continue to threaten our country. and they still represent, i think, probably the most important threat we still face in the world. >> all right. thank you very much, secretary. outfront, next, violence in afghanistan. an american soldier lost his life in a suicide attack by the taliban. it happened in a base in kandahar just a couple hours

after we did that interview in kandahar with the defense secretary. a sad reminder of how unsafe this country is after 11 years of war. we will be back in just a moment, talking and getting the other side of the story. what do afghans really think about the safety here? that's coming up, after this. year-end event. so, the 5.3-liter v8 silverado can tow up to 9,600 pounds? 315 horsepower. what's that in reindeer-power? [ laughs ] [ pencil scratches ] [ male announcer ] chevy's giving more. get the best offer of the year -- 0% apr financing for 60 months plus $1,000 holiday bonus cash. plus trade up for an additional $1,000 trade-in allowance. hurry. bonus cash ends january 2nd.

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diarrhea, gas, bloating? yeah. one phillips' colon health probiotic cap each day helps defend against these digestive issues with three strains of good bacteria. approved! [ female announcer ] live the regular life. phillips'. despite the attack on the kandahar base a couple hours after we were there with the defense secretary, the message from the united states is clear. terrorists will not win here in afghanistan. what is the reality on the ground? out front tonight two men who make it their business to know. matthew rose enburg with the new york times based in afghanistan for the last four years. and a former member of the afghan parliament. i want it bring both of you guys in here. thank you so much for waking up in kabul. i want it ask you about this attack. it happened a couple hours after the defense secretary was in kandahar. they don't know whether it was related to his visit or not. general use end example of where insurgence failed in the past. they failed in kandahar at the

air base. he said that two hours before this happened. what's the reality? >> they failed. there are thousands and thousands of soldiers there. but that road has been bombed

before. the environment, around the city, it is so unsafe we have a reporter in afghan that works for us in kandahar city. won't drive where the surge is played out. if it is not safe enough for him, never mind westerners. we can never go to those places. it is better than it was at the height of the surge. it was more violent than it was under 2008, 2009. >> what is your answer it that, when someone spends a lot of time here, what did we accomplish. >> there are areas much safer, but not safe enough yet. that's the thing. we are leaving now and is this done? is it ready to hand over to the afghans? the general says, the question is sustainability. can we sustain it. we will find out next summer and i don't think -- it is an open question. >> and you just heard the secretary of defense say we've had success in disrupting al qaeda. he is saying, we're on the path. he is careful to say that. that the reality when the u.s. leaves, how big is the risk that this place again becomes a sanctuary for terrorism or whatever word you want to put on it? >> i don't blame american officials to paint a rosey pictures. it is not as rosey as they think

or as pessimist as some thing. i think the solution is in the aspects of what will happen after the u.s. leaves, which is afghan government's responsibility and also the turning point will be the afghan presidential elections. i think the afghan people can and will help the security situation if they are confident enough that they have the government to relate to, that they can be confident, and rule of law, the governance that has to be provided. all those things are a big question. if we don't have that election the way it should be, but then security will be deteriorating because public support will not be there for the government to help receive support from the afghan people. >> and it is interesting. a lot of people we spoke to, matt, says we take it for granted that there is either a civil war or real risk of civil war when the u.s. leaves. we went to a bizarre. just asked afghans what they thought and whether they think it is good that the united states is leaving. sheer what they said. >>. >> translator: america should leave afghanistan immediately. go back to america. the muslims themselves should lead after afghanistan and build it with their hands. >> after they leave the afghan government can lead the peace to the country.

we don't need the americans. >> is there no need for america to stay? i know there's nationalism, there's pride. but what's the truth? >> we do need to stay if -- to hold this together. now does our presence here help? that's a much bigger question. there's a strong case to be made that we provide an accelerant. we provide a reason for people to fight against us. i think that's what these guys are saying. they say look, we have to step up on our own.

i think that's what they want. then there is readiness. post 24 team between the civilian and military aid is like $8 billion a year. afghanistan's total revenue is a billion. how much longer can we pay and is there an expectation that they can at some point pay for it themselves? that's not really clear. >> here in afghanistan, in kabul that we're under, wealthy people live here, drug lords, warlords,

ministers, all kinds of people. the roads are terrible. they say they are terrible because they want them terrible because they don't want suicide bombers to come. will that change? >> that's a poor excuse, i think, for not paying attention to your job and run a country. but i think thing will change in this country gradually in some cases. that the biggest problems of afghan government and afghan people have is, things deteriorated from the top down. and we have to fix it that way from the top down. >> mafia fair word to use for government? >> mafia is a very understatement. because this government and the economy and the even -- eve even the smallest things can run in circle he of grooves. people who are monopolizing things. from the presidency, all the way down to the lowest thing that produces some major income for people. the wealth was not spread, management of the country and the big cities is really terrible. and people feel that. that's why people are not helping the taliban. they're standing on the sidelines. and we have to change that. >> matt, thank you very much. all right. we're going to take a break, but when we come back, we're going to be talking with the future of afghanistan with the deputy foreign minister. we'll be back in at. ♪ aids is going to lose. aids is going to lose. ♪ [ sniffs ] i took dayquil but my nose is still runny. [ male announcer ] truth is, dayquil doesn't treat that. really? [ male announcer ] alka-seltzer plus fights your worst cold symptoms, plus it relieves your runny nose. [ breathes deeply ] awesome. [ male announcer ] yes, it is. that's the cold truth!

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welcome back to a special edition of "outfront." we are live from kabul, afghanistan, tonight. and the attack outside a u.s. military base in kandahar today was only the latest blow in a national security situation, which is incredibly precarious in this country. i spoke earlier with the deputy

foreign minister here in afghanistan and i asked him if this act of terror today caught him by surprise. >> no. i'm not surprised. terrorism remains a threat for afghanistan. that's the number one threat to afghanistan's security and also by extension, to the security of the region and the rest of the world. afghanistan, unfortunately, continues to be one of the worst victims of terrorism. >> can you work with the taliban? i mean, i'm curious, you've made all this progress in certain areas. you've tried to do things for women's rights and you've tried to have a more free and open society. will the taliban be a part of that? will they actually be a player? >> well, they have to be. that's one of our red lines that we're absolutely ready and i think this is, in the interest of peace in afghanistan, and absolutely desirable. nonetheless, there have to be some red lines. some of the achievements that we've had in the last ten years can't be negotiated. we have a constitution that gives rights to men and women in afghanistan. we have established a democratic person that's very young, still, a long way to go, but it's still one of our biggest achievements. >> and i think about the bomb that happened today in kandahar. i was thinking about some article that i read in the gulf, i traveled there this week. a prudential police chief was killed and there was another attack, obviously, last week. the taliban is purposely, and they say, specifically targeting

government officials. do you feel that risk every day? >> as an afghan, yes. afghanistan is on the threat. afghanistan faces terrorism, as a threat, on a day-to-day basis. so i think there is no difference between myself and the afghans who got, unfortunately, got killed and injured in kandahar today. >> ahead, you'll meet sergeant first class josh burnt. his story is amazing. he is stationed at the station where a suicide bomber killed after are an american servicemember and three others. he will talk about why he feels it is important to be here. we'll play him a special message this holiday season from his wife and two children. americans believe they should be in charge of their own future.

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welcome back to a special edition of "outfront." we are live in kabul, afghanistan, tonight. i want to welcome our viewers in

the united states and around the world. we'll have more on our reporting from afghanistan in just a moment, but first, we want to update you on some of the big stories making news in the united states tonight. susan rice, the united states ambassador to the united nations will not be the next secretary of state. a somewhat surprising move in a letter to the president, president obama, she withdrew her name from consideration today. she says she's concerned that her criticism of her handling of the attack in benghazi would lead to a lengthy and disruptive and costly confirmation process. the president will meet with rice tomorrow at the white house. and speaking of white house meetings, president obama and house speaker john boehner met at the white house for about an hour tonight. an important meeting and we're glad it was an hour. maybe they can get something

done on the fiscal cliff. the hope is that they'll have a meeting of the minds on the tax hikes and the automatic spending cuts that are set to strike the united states in the beginning of january. time is running out. the fiscal cliff is 19 days away. and our jessica yellin reports that some in washington believe that a deal has to be done by tomorrow in order to get it through congress before the end of the year. and back here in kabul, afghanistan, where we are taking a look at america's 11-year war, the longest war here in america, where do things stand today? what is the future for

afghanistan? one of the main concerns here on the ground is security. just a few hours, we had a stark reminder of that here, when there was a suicide attack right at the entrance of the kandahar airfield. that was a base that the defense secretary, leon panetta had interviewed two years before. the explosion killed one service member and two afghan civilians. the taliban claimed responsibility, calling the bomber a quote/unquote brave fighter. panetta later said terrorists resort to these types of attacks

in order to create chaos. well, chaos or not, there are 68,000 american troops who are risking their lives right here in this country tonight. many of them are going to be separated from their family and friends for as long as 15 months, serving their country, before they go home. it's a hard and stressful situation. there is so much sacrifice. but as we learned from the burnt family, it is something that families at home learn to deal with. mckenzie burnt knows what it means the to make sacrifices for your country. her husband is serving in the second striker brigade in afghanistan. this will be his third christmas at war. >> most people take for granted their husbands coming home at 5:00 at night or being home on the weekends or being there for holidays and military families don't get that. we don't have that opportunity. >> reporter: now in his fourth deployment, josh is on a mission in kandahar and has been away from his wife and two children for seven months. >> it comes with that, it's missed birthdays, anniversaries, first steps, crawling. they miss out on so many things in life, that are just milestones. >> married at age 20, mckenzie says being separated for long stretches has been all she's ever known. >> that's my book. >> reporter: and while 5-year-old josh jr. and 9-year-old halley talk to their dad on the phone almost every day from their home in puyallup, washington, halley says it just isn't the same. >> the most things i miss about m, i y,d,i 3 %rllwi hwahe rht3 now3 pi tseretualo but youanlln . &mansa is a >> yes, ma'am. this is an m-wrap. it's a vehicle that we use, it carries roughly five personnel. you have the driver, the tank commander, which is a passenger, and the two dismounts in the back and the fifth person will

be, of course, the gunner, who is up top. >> and where do you sit? >> i sit on the t-seat, the tank commander, which is in control, basically, of the vehicle. and as we go out, you know, i'm in charge of controlling this vehicle, where we're going, what the gunner does, if i need to react to certain things, and i'm basically the passenger, the tc or shotgun seat, if you want to say. >> so do you ever -- i guess i -- do you ever get scared? >> i guess it's only human nature to get scared, in some way, shape, or form. but you do it so many times, you get used to it in, in a way. and i've been training with these people so long, we almost know what we're going to do before we do it. and it is second nature for us and it's pretty easy at times. >> and you say it's second

nature, and you know these people better than anyone in the world. is this sort of like a second family to you, in any way? >> this is definitely my second family. even as i came into the military, my wife, in general, we knew that this was a big part of our family. and my wife has accepted everyone that i've trained or been leaders of and it is definitely a second family for me, definitely. >> and this has been your career from the beginning? >> this has been my career from the beginning. i've been in 12 years. and this is definitely, whatever i do, i excel at, and i try to make the best out of it, and this is definitely what i've done my whole career. >> you know a lot of people at home, they wonder, did america really get anything out of this war? what have we accomplished? and you're here ever day, you're fighting, you're patrolling here in kandahar. what have we gotten out of this? >> we've gotten quite a bit. i mean, honestly, the afghan people, even from what i was deployed in iraq in '03, during the invasion, you could see the iraq people and the afghan people starting to do stuff on their own. having more freedom and stuff like that. and that is a big thing that i take out of this. is them being able to do stuff on their own, without having someone, you know, telling them exactly what they have to do every day of their lives. and i think that's freedom and stuff like that is a big accomplishment for me, being

here, this is my fourth time, and seeing the gains that we have made throughout the years. >> and do you think, from where you sit, that afghanistan is going to be ready, for people like you to go home? >> yes, i definitely do. i'm going on patrol with the partners. >> you go out with them, because you're training them --? >> exactly. and they do things on their own that years ago they were not doing on their own. the logistics part of it and all that stuff. they are sustainable by themselves. >> we hear a lot, though, about afghans who work with americans and then they will blow themselves up and kill americans. do you have a fear that that could happen? >> it would be almost unhuman to

think that in the back of your mind, you don't want to get what we call complacent, but we've built such a trust with these guys that the in and out days of working with them, that stuff just goes to the wayside, because you have to treat them as one of your brothers, working with them, and one of your own soldiers, also. >> and you're able to do that? >> totally fine, yes. >> sergeant, what makes you the most proud about what you've done here? >> i think the most proud is just seeing the kids, and that generation that are going to have a bright future here in afghanistan. the elders and stuff are still in that mind-set, but the younger generations, what -- they have something to look forward to as the years progress in this country, in afghanistan, is that the successes they can make, they can go out and be someone, rather than being secluded in a country like this, they can make lives for themselves, outside of here. >> and would you go to another war, if there was another war? the war on terror continues. goes somewhere else, would you still go? >> without a doubt, yes. this is what i signed up to do for my country. there are two reasons why i joined the military, for my country and for my family, to support my family, and those are two things i love the most, so i would definitely. >> the two things that he loves the most. and when he talked about his family, he was emotional. they actually had prepared a special message for him, that we were able to play for sergeant berndt. and we wanted to show you what happened. >> hi, honey. we love you and miss you. we can't wait to see you.

we hope that you have a merry christmas and that you come home soon. >> hi, daddy. i love and miss you and have a merry christmas. >> merry christmas! love you. bye! >> good. >> they miss you. >> i miss them too. >> and you know, your wife was really strong. >> yeah. >> she -- >> what's the hardest part about not being with her? >> i mean, just being there every day, seeing, you know, their daily routine and what they do and, you know, just going through, kids coming home from school, doing homework, you know, my son playing sports and stuff like that, and things my daughter does, and she's just so, you know, outgoing and does things on her own now that i don't see. the birthdays, of course, and even the small things like mother's day and father's day.

just things being away from the family. but we try to do the best, you know. but while i'm deployed, you know, she keeps me so in the loop and we try to do things together still as a family, even though i'm far way way. being there for the kids, singing happy birthday to them and that stuff while they're opening their presents and stuff, even though i'm so far away in a different country, we deep that bond together until i come hom >> your son, i saw something he did at school, where he wrote about how proud he is of you, because you're deployed and you're saving people's lives. >> yeah, he can become a stickler and hardheaded, but i think that deep down inside, he enjoys and feels so appreciative for what i do, and especially my daughter, halley, too. they definitely know what i'm doing and they know that i'm safe. so that's all that matters. >> and you said, the one thing she told you is that he was wearing his packers shirt. >> yeah, yeah. i don't know if i embedded it in

his head when he was such a young kid, about being a packers fan, but as soon as he knew he was going to be on tv, he had to wear his packers jersey. >> you were telling me a story about the packers were playing, but you weren't home. >> yeah, every sunday or so, i'll call and ask him, and i'll be like, josh, do you know who the packers are playing this week? and he knows to a t who they're playing. and i'll ask him if they're going to win or if they're going to lose. and he always votes against the packers for some reason. and i asked him, josh, why do you always vote against the packers, and he said, because you're not here, dad. and i get that. a 5-year-old son -- >> he misses you. he just wants you there. >> definitely. next, my interview with fawzia koofi. the taliban have repeatedly threatened to kill her. they tried to kill her and her two little girls, but she's still going to run for president of afghanistan in 2014. her view of where the country is headed and an inspirational meeting with her two daughters. is next. ion in the new 2013 ram 1500.

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fawzia koofi is the first woman elected to afghanistan's parliament. her story is an amazing one and an spiring one and she is now campaigning for the presidency of afghanistan. she has long been a target of the taliban. she was once attacked with her two daughters. she was shot at in a car as they drove through afghanistan. in fact, so often she received threats that she actually now writes letters to her daughters every time before she goes away on a business trip, just in case she doesn't make it home. i visited koofi in her home and i started by asking her if she even felt safe there. >> living in afghanistan, you never know where you're safe. because you might be attacked in your home. this is something that happened to the politicians before.

they were even attacked in their meeting rooms and they were killed. >> in the room that we're sitting right now is where, is part of the way afghanistan governs differently, maybe than the united states. people come from your province, they come and they ask you for things. >> yes. >> and even last week, you said you had a scare, someone that was coming and asking you for help, but you thought they might be wearing a suicide vest. >> sometimes people come with very unusual and exceptional situation and they want to prove that they need really our help. so for instance, last week, this man came who was a patient, who was a sick person. he needed to change his kidneys and the current kidney doesn't work, so he wanted me to help him to get to the minister of health. and as he entered, he looked so unusual that the room was full of people, and i had to go -- i had to run almost to the other side of the room, thinking that he's full of wire and all of those explosives. but then i realized that he is a sick person, asking for my help. that's an indication of how people of afghanistan have problems and how much, by doing small things for them, they become happy and that's our job to do small things. >> as a woman, do you think a lot of the, some of the inab te n rlme ped3 intoe ol bk g thsoh,ndectl you are world, the outside world, would they define you as corrupt, every member of parliament corrupt, given these overall numbers that we see? are we missing something? >> i think, yes. well, 20% of the fans who are coming to the government of afghanistan, 80% are being spent through the international organizations. so not only in the broader picture as the government of afghanistan, although i am not in power, in a way that i am not in position, we are the critics of the government, we are reformists, we would like to bring changes. i agree in a way that there is corruption. not only money corruption, but also political corruption, administrative corruption. all of that is there. >> fawzia has two young daughters. they were beautiful, smart, inspiring girls and i was cure about how she felt about them staying here in afghanistan. if the taliban comes back. so, fawzia, you want your daughters to stay after u.s. leaves. stay in afghanistan. >> they will stay here. but if things, god for bid, if things go really bad, i think that we will have no option.

>> what do you think? what's going to happen when the u.s. leaves? >> translator: this is our country and we cannot let our country get down. whatever happy need to stay in my country. wn u owp?3 seteseoe come wi def e omthki tt he's full of wire and all of those explosives. but then i realized that he is a sick person, asking for my help. that's an indication of how people of afghanistan have problems and how much, by doing small things for them, they become happy and that's our job to do small things. >> as a woman, do you think a lot of the, some of the achievements that have happened, girls going to school and more women working, women like you, being able to be in parliament now, you've got more women in parliament, 27% or 22, it's only 18% in the u.s., so it's been real progress. do you think a lot of that is going to be rolled back or go away when the u.s. leaves, or do you think afghanistan will keep that? >> we are worried that perhaps in many places, taliban closed schools for girls, especially in the south, and recently, you are aware of the schoolgirls, especially in north and northeast, being poisoned by taliban. so we know their intention. and we are worried that once the international community leaves, all of those things that have come after, as an achievement of the 2001, would be undermined by security and by the sympathy to bring taliban back to powers. >> and are you going to run for president? i know people say, look, it's a long shot. you don't have much of a chance, but are you going to do it anyway and go out with the public speeches? there's obviously risk to that, but is it something that you're determined to do? >> i don't want buy this argument, when people say, there is no chance. it's just the mind-set, if a woman has a chance in other neighboring muslim countries of afghanistan, why not in iraed79n rrti ipefu cru, 3 %ern ve, a rrti ipefu cru, 3 %ern ipingir a iasure

country and we cannot let our country get down. whatever happy need to stay in my country. >> and what do you want to be when you grow up? >> translator: a president. >> you want to be the president? >> yeah. >> president of afghanistan? >> yeah. >> what about you? >> i want to be a space engineer. >> space engineer. >> yes. >> so people who say, girls in afghanistan are going to have big problems, maybe they don't know about you. >> yes, maybe. >> and what about -- what are your worries about school? do you think that it's going to be the same next year when the u.s. leaves, that you will be able to stay in school? are you worried there could be changes that happen fast? >> i think there could be changes. maybe taliban come again and maybe not. i don't know really. but i hope they don't come. >> i know you went today and heard your mom speak. >> yes.

>> what did you think? >> i think she really -- she was good and that i'm proud of her. i'm proud of being her daughter. and the speech was really nice. >> thank you, guys, very much. >> you're welcome. >> a space engineer and president. that was an inspiring moment for me to see those girls. and as you obviously noticed, they are very dedicated to their education. and when we where are there, we saw them up in their rooms working. they were studying. and i think it's fair it make sure that everyone at homes understands what that means, studying in 30 degree fahrenheit weather, no heat, working and getting ready for school. when we come back, more on afghanistan. to help your people, but does this mean that even you, who has been a hero for women and inspiration, a fighter, the world, the outside world, would they define you as corrupt, every member of parliament corrupt, given these overall numbers that we see? are we missing something? >> i think, yes. well, 20% of the fans who are coming to the government of afghanistan, 80% are being spent through the international organizations. so not only in the broader picture as the government of afghanistan, although i am not in power, in a way that i am not in position, we are the critics of the government, we are reformists, we would like to bring changes. i agree in a way that there is corruption. not only money corruption, but also political corruption, administrative corruption. all of that is there. >> fawzia has two young daughters. they were beautiful, smart, inspiring girls and i was cure about how she felt about them staying here in afghanistan. if the taliban comes back. so, fawzia, you want your daughters to stay after u.s. leaves.

>> what do you think? what's going to happen when the u.s. leaves? >> translator: this is our country and we cannot let our country get down. whatever happy need to stay in my country. >> and what do you want to be when you grow up? >> translator: a president. >> you want to be the president? >> yeah. >> president of afghanistan? >> yeah. >> what about you? >> i want to be a space engineer. >> space engineer. >> yes. >> so people who say, girls in afghanistan are going to have big problems, maybe they don't know about you. >> yes, maybe. >> and what about -- what are your worries about school? do you think that it's going to be the same next year when the u.s. leaves, that you will be able to stay in school?

are you worried there could be changes that happen fast? >> i think there could be changes. maybe taliban come again and maybe not. i don't know really. but i hope they don't come. >> i know you went today and heard your mom speak. >> yes. >> what did you think? >> i think she really -- she was good and that i'm proud of her. i'm proud of being her daughter. and the speech was really nice. >> thank you, guys, very much. >> you're welcome. >> a space engineer and president. that was an inspiring moment for me to see those girls. and as you obviously noticed, they are very dedicated to their education. and when we where are there, we saw them up in their rooms working. they were studying. and i think it's fair it make sure that everyone at homes understands what that means, studying in 30 degree fahrenheit weather, no heat, working and

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for most americans, afghanistan is a country that's synonymous with the word al qaeda, the word war, the word terrorism, with osama bin laden. but this is also a country with an incredible history, an incredible culture, and we at outfront have a special connection here. one of our colleagues, a publicist here at cnn lived in kabul in the 1970s and i spent some time with her father talking about his life here when afghanistan was a totally different place. in the 1960s and '70s, afghanistan was a cultural hotbed, attracting the likes of jazz greats duke ellington and dave brubeck. >> dave was in kabul, and he has composed a beautiful piece. >> as an official in the minister of culture and information, 77-year-old faiz experienced kabul in its heyday with his wife and two children. >> our house was a place where all the artists, intellectuals from all over the world, would be welcomed and afghan counterparts would be invited to exchange ideas, to laugh.

>> you had the salon of kabul. >> absolutely. >> but in 1978, faiz and his family fled the country after revolution and the soviet invasion. >> it saddens me that on the spot that i had built a stage for duke ellington to perform is that awful footage played all over the world of a woman being in the blue being executed. >> the soccer stadium once hosted presidents and dignitaries but became an arena for public executions. under the taliban. more recently soccer has returned but after more than 30 years of war and oppression, faiz says kabul is not what it once was. four years ago he went back and found his once palatial residence bombed out, stripped. >> when you first went back and saw what happened, what was that moment like?

>> it was a very, very sad moment. >> his house has since been torn down and turned into a wedding hall. throughout the city, countless homes and historical monuments have been destroyed. the minuet of enlightenment. there's a small sign of hope for the future of afghanistan. >> i'm hoping that some day maybe my children, their children would be like all the other minorities who have come to america, like italians or greeks or irish or anybody, that they'll go to the old country just to see their roots. some day i hope that will happen. >> tomorrow night on "outfront" more of my exclusive interview with the defense secretary, leon panetta. we talked about iran. he had some surprising comments on iran's pursuit of a nuclear weapon and he also talked about the gera